Phonograph record tilting display apparatus

ABSTRACT

A display demonstrating apparatus which continuously tilts jacketed phonograph records for a showing of each title. Said apparatus consists of a rack arranged for an automatic forward self-tilting of records held thereon, said tilting commencing upon the first of said records being tilted, a spring actuated arm tilting the first of said records and a motor driven linkage engaging said arm upon the completion of each cycle of the forward tilting of said records to return all of said records to a rearward starting position for the commencement of another cycle of forward tilting, said spring actuated arm being automatically moved to tilt the first of said records upon the return of said records to said starting position.

[451 June 17, 1975 United States Patent Gutierrez SHEET PATENEnJun 17 m5 PATENTEDJUN 17 |975 SHEET PATENTEDJUN 1v ma if. 8 @9,812

SHEET 3 PHONOGRAPH RECORD TILTING DISPLAY APPARATUS BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention herein relates to a self-operating display demonstrating apparatus to be used in connection with jacketed phonograph records mounted in a display rack, said rack being arranged to have said records tilt one another forwardly sequentially, said apparatus having a self-operating arm engaging the forwardmost or first of said records to tilt the same forwardly and means automatically engaging said arm to reversely tilt said records returning the same to their initial or starting position.

Said display rack is the subject of the U.S. Pat. No. 3,716,145 issued Feb. I3, |973, to the inventor herein. Said U.S, Patent describes the structure of said display rack wherein phonograph records mounted thereon are disposed in holding members arranged to sequentially tilt one another upon the leading record first being tilted. The description of said display rack as set forth in said patent is embodied herein by reference.

The apparatus herein is particularly adapted to be used to provide a continuously operating attention attracting display at the point of sale of said phonograph records such as being a table-supported or a countersupported display.

It is an object of this invention in connection with said phonograph record display rack to cyclically tilt forwardly the first or leading of the phonograph records upon said display rack and to return said records to starting position at the completion of each forward tilting cycle.

It is another object of this invention to provide a powered display apparatus comprising a spring actuated arm tilting forwardly the leading of said phonograph records mounted on said display rack and comprising means cyclically engaging said arm to reversely tilt said phonograph records to their initial or starting position.

it is a further object of this invention to provide a motor-powered phonograph record display apparatus in cooperative association with said display rack above mentioned whereby a load is placed upon the motor of said apparatus only during the interval that the phonograph records upon being tilted forwardly are reversely tilted to their initial or starting position.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a powered phonograph record display apparatus which is of simple construction and which is economical to make and to operate.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation showing some portions thereof in alternate position in dotted line,

FIG. 2 is a view in front elevation.

FIG. 3 is a view in rear elevation,

FIG. 4 is a view in vertical longitudinal section on an enlarged scale taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3 as indicated with some portions thereof being shown in alternate position in dotted line.

FIG. 5 is a view in horizontal section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4 as indicated with some portions thereof being shown in dotted line` FIG. 6 is a broken view in vertical section on an enlarged scale taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 4 as indicated,

FIG. 7 is a broken view in vertical section taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 6 as indicated showing a detail of structure, and

FIG. 8 is a broken view in perspective showing a de- 0 tail of structure.

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of a modification ofthe display apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the structure herein is indicated generally by the reference numeral comprising a housing 112 to be further described. Mounted onto said housing is a phonograph record display and storage rack 10 which except for some change in minor detail which is not significant is described in the inventors U.S. Let. Pat. No. 3,716,145, issued Feb. I31 1973 and said description is incorporated herein by reference using like reference numerals subject to some specific modification of detail thereof for purposes herein as will be indicated.

Said rack for convenience herein is generally described as having a base portion or frame 12 as shown in FIG. 4 and having yoke-like phonograph record holding members 70 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 which members are constructed and arranged to tilt one another sequentially as described.

Disposed in said record holding members are jacketed phonograph records 98 with the leading of said records being 98a. The presence of actual phonograph records within the jackets is optional for display purposes. Said jacketed records or jackets, as the case may be, are referred to as records.

Screws 113 through appropriate openings in the frame 112 as indicated in FIG. 4 removably secure said frame to said housing.

An angled spring-1ike arm 114 is secured at its base by appropriate screws to the top wall 115 of said housing at the rear of said frame 12 and is upstanding therefrom to provide rear support and to form a backstop for said records 98 in their rearward or initial rest position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4.

With reference to FIGS. 1-3, said housing 112 is further described as having in addition to its top wall 115, a bottom wall 116, side walls 117, 118 and end walls 119 and 120.

Depending from the underside of said top wall 115 being secured thereto as by bolts or screws is an angled bracket 122 having secured as by bolts to the depending portion 123 thereof an electric motor 125. Said motor is a common type of small electric motor which for purposes herein has a drive shaft 127 which rotates at a speed of 4 rpm. Said motor has a line 128 which runs to a current source and has lines 130 and 131 running to a toggle switch located on the upper surface of said top wall 115.

Said motor drives an attached fan 136 in a conventional manner for cooling purposes.

Said depending bracket portion 123 is shown positioned substantially centrally transversely of said housing. Extending through said depending bracket portion 123 is said drive shaft 127 of said motor. Secured to said drive shaft is link arm 140 of relatively short length and pivoted thereto by a rivet 143 is a relatively long link arm 144 having an elongated longitudinal slot 145 formed within its free end portion.

Formed in the upper wall 115 of said housing at either side thereof adjacent the front wall 119 are elongated slots 150 and 151.

Respectively disposed through said slots are elongated llat rods or arms 156 and 160. Said arms intermediate their lengths are respectively pivoted by pins 152 to said top wall within said slots.

Extending between the lower ends of said arms 156 and 160 is a cross member 165 being secured to said arms such as being riveted thereto in a conventional manner as indicated in FIG. 5, or as by being integral therewith.

Said arms 156 and 160 and said cross member 165 form a bail 167. Said cross member 165 is disposed through said slot 145 of said link arm 144- As indicated in FIG. 8, the upper end or top portion 157 of said arm 156 is formed having an increased thickness or shoulder portion to permit a slot 158 to be formed therein, said slot being open at the top and inner side thereof. Said arm 160 has a like top or upper end portion 161 having like slot 162 therein, said slots being in aligned facing relationship. Extending between said arms and having its ends disposed in said slots 158 and 162 is a rod 168. Thus said rod may be readily lifted out of said slots.

Said record jacket 98a has said rod 168 disposed therethrough as indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

With reference to said cross member 165, a coil spring 170 has one end thereof secured thereto adjacent said link arm 144 and the other end of said spring is secured by a screw hook 171 secured to the rear underside portion of said top wall 115. Said coil spring is here shown for purpose of example and not for purpose of limitation.

With reference to the record holding member 70 as best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, a modification is shown therein with respect to the description thereof in said U.S. Pat. No. 3,7l6,l45. A tapered pin or projection 175 is shown extending forwardly centrally of the rear wall 74 thereof to extend into and substantially through the space between said walls 73 and 74.

The record jackets 98 each have an aperture 99 therethrough to receive said pin 175 therethrough. Thus said jackets are prevented from being lifted out of said display rack 10. Said record holding members 70 have their respective walls sufficiently flexible to be spread apart to receive a record jacket therebetween for the insertion of said pin 175 through the aperture 99 of the jacket as the same is positioned by a downward thrust into a record holding member.

OPERATION As described in said US. Pat. No. 3,716,145, the record holding members of the display rack 12 and the records disposed therein automatically self-tilt forwardly sequentially when the rst or leading of said records is tilted.

For display purposes, as at a point of sale of phonograph records to attract buyer attention, it is desirable to have the records on said display rack in continuous tilting motion.

At the end of each cycle of forward tilting motion, it is necessary to return all of said records to their rearwardly tilted starting position.

The subject matter of the invention herein as above described serves to cyclically tilt the leading record forwardly and at the completion of the cycle of forward tilting to reversely tilt all of said records as in one continuous motion to their rearward starting position and upon such return of said records, the first or leading record is again tilted forwardly.

Referring particularly to FIGS. l, 4 and 5, the drawings do not show each increment of movement of the records in tilting forwardly and rearwardly. Hence, some obvious assumptions of said records and of said apparatus will be made and it is believed will be readily understood.

In FIG. 4, it will be assumed that all of the records have just tilted forwardly and the link arm 144 is in the position as shown. Said link arm 144 will be pivoted forwardly to its dotted line position by the upward and forward rotation of the link 140. In so doing, the cross member 165 is engaged by the inner end 1450 of the slot and is moved forwardly tilting or swinging rearwardly the upper portion of the bail 167 which swings rearwardly the record 98a and all of the records forwardly tilted therebehind.

The link arm 144 is under continuous orbital movement and during the movement upwardly and rearwardly it withdraws its forward pressure from the cross member to its full line position as indicated. As said link arm 144 withdraws its forward pressure from the cross member 165, said spring which pulls constantly on said cross member 165, draws said cross member rearwardly keeping it in engagement with the rear wall of said slot 145 until said bail 167 is in its extreme forward position as indicated by its full line position in FIG. 4.

The record 98a in being tilted forwardly by the bail 167, as it tilts within its holding member 70 beyond a dead center position, the adjacent record and its record holding member are engaged and caused to tilt forwardly and in like manner and in turn each successive record is tilted forwardly. The timing of the sequential motion of the various elements described results from a predetermined motor speed which will be a matter of design and the timing is such that the link arm 144 engages the cross member 165 with the rear wall of the slot 145 just as the last record to tiltforwardly has tilted forwardly. The cycle then commences again.

lt will be seen that the only work done by the motor 125 under load is in moving the cross member 16S forwardly at the completion of each cycle of forward tilting of the records for the purpose of returning the records to their rearward starting position. The bail 167 is tilted forwardly by the spring 170.

There results a smooth, quiet continuous movement of the records in tilting through a complete cycle forwardly and being immediately returned at the completion of each such cycle to a rearward starting position with the forward tilting again being commenced just as the rearward tilting motion of the records is being completed. There appears to be no break in motion between the forward and rearward tilting of the records but rather it appears as continuous motion. There is very little load placed upon the motor whereby it has long life and is practically maintenance free. The only other moving member is the spring member which is under very little load is tilting the bail 167 forwardly to tilt the first of said records and from that point the records are self-tilting through their forward cycle of motion.

MODIFICATION Referring to FIG. 9, a modification is shown of the structure above described and in which like portions thereof are indicated by like reference numerals and only the modified portions thereof are hereafter described.

The purpose here is to provide structure which will cushion the return of the records 98 to their rearward starting position as indicated in FIG. l and by dotted line in FIG. 9. All of said records 98 are returned at one time by action of the bail 167. The records in moving together tilt rearwardly with some degree of force and there results a somewhat noisy and jarring effect as the records engage the stop member 115 with reference to FlG. l.

Hence, the member 115 is here removed and in substitution thereof there is provided a stop member 175 which comprises an elongated upper portion 176, ari intermediate pivot portion 178 and a lower angled portion 180 comprising an upper portion 181 thereof angled inwardly of said housing and a lower portion 182 thereof reversely angled. Said lower portion may be variously formed as by being reversely bent or curved or formed as a cammed surface.

A pivot member 185 on the order ofa pin is disposed through said pivot portion 178 of said stop member and is journaled in a pair of spaced upstanding ears 188 ad jacent either side of a slot 190 formed centrally transversely of said housing in the upper wall 115 thereof adjacent the rear wall 120.

Said stop member extends upwardly sufficiently to engage the upper portion of the records 98 as shown in FIG. 9 and the lower angled portion is disposed within the rear end portion of the housing 112 for pivotal movement therein as will be described.

A stop member 192 is positioned centrally transversely of the inner surface of the bottom wall 116 of said housing 112 and comprises an elongated threaded screw member 193 having one end portion having a knob 194 thereof extending outwardly of said end wall 120 and having its inner end portion journaled in an upstanding plate member 196 having an angled foot portion 197 appropriately secured to said bottom wall 116. Carried on said screw and movable axially thereof by rotation of said screw is an upstanding stop member 199 extending upwardly sufficiently to engage the lower end portion 182 of said stop member 175 as illustrated in dotted line.

The link member 140 above described is here shown as link member 200 in which the modification comprises having said link member extending beyond its point of attachment to the motor shaft 127 to extend therebeyond as indicated by reference numeral 201. Mounted on the free end of said link portion 201 and extending at right angles thereto to engage the lower portion 201 of said stop member 175 is a roller 204.

OPERATION The operation of the modified structure is the same as above described with the accompanying action of the stop member 175 as will now be described.

Referring to the dotted line positions of the bail 167 and the stop member 175, the lower cross member 165 of the bail member 167 is in the position in which it will now be engaged by the link 144 within its slot 145 in its forward motion to move or return the records 98 from their forwardly tilted positions to their initial rearward positions. As said lower cross member is moved in a direction forwardly ofthe housing, the link member 200 is seen with the roller 204 engaging the lower adjacent portion 182 of the stop member 175. As said roller is moved through a circular pathway upwardly, as indicated by arrows, in being Carried by Said link portion 201, said lower portion 182 is caused to swing rearwardly whereby the upper portion 176 of said stop member swings forwardly, and is timed in its swing by action of the motor 127 and the linkage in Connection therewith to have engagement with the adjacent rear record 98 at a point at which said adjacent record has returned to a substantially vertical position in a plane substantially at right angles to the horizontal. The records continue to tilt rearwardly against the cushioning effect of the upper stop member portion 175. At this point, the roller 204 has traveled upwardly the length of the lower portion 182 of said stop member 175 and has commenced to engage the portion 181 of said stop member 175.

Said portion 181 is angled reversely of said lower portion 182 and at this point the roller has reached a position in its circular path where it is commencing to move upwardly and in a direction forwardly of the housing permitting the stop member 175 to have its lower portion 181 swing forwardly maintaining engagement with the roller 204 as it moves upwardly thereof controlling the rearward movement of the upper portion 176 of said stop member 175 against the pressure of the rearward movement of the records.

This action causes all of the records to have a uniform noiseless movement rearwardly to a stop position and during this time as the link 144 is reaching the rearward position shown in dotted line in FIG. 9, the spring is pivoting or swinging the bail 167 to tilt the record 98' forwardly. Said portion 181 bears against said roller until all of the records are in a rearward rest position which prevents the records from thrusting noisily against said stop member but instead there is a noiseless stoppage of the rearward movement of said records with the records being supported by said stop member.

As the link member 200 continues through its path of rotation, the lower end portion 182 of said stop member will bear against the stop member 199.

Said roller on moving downwardly and rearwardly engages said lower portion 182 of said stop member to move the upper portion of said stop member forwardly timed so that the records 98 will have all tilted forwardly and have been started in their rearward movement to rest position to be engaged by said stop member as the rearwardmost record reaches a vertical position in a plane substantially at right angles to the horizontal arid from this point rearwardly to the final rest point said records are controlled or cushioned by said stop member in moving rearwardly,

lt will of course be understood that various changes may be made in form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of the invention herein which, generally stated, consists in an apparatus capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

7 l. A phonograph record tilting display apparatus, having in combination a rack having forwardly selftilting records thereon,

save for the first record thereof,

a housing supporting said rack,

a member carried by said housing forwardly tilting said first record,

spring means actuating said member,

a motor carried by said housing,

means driven by said motor operatively engaging said member,

said means moving said member reversely tilting said records to a rearward tilted position when said records have reached a forwardly tilted position,

said means withdrawing from operating engagement with said member upon completion of said rearward tilting of said records, and

said spring means actuating said member to forwardly tilt said first record upon said means withdrawing from operative engagement with said member.

2. The structure set forth in claim l, wherein said member comprises a bail member.

3. The structure set forth in claim l, wherein said member comprises a U-shaped member having side arm portions overlying side wall portions of said housing,

means pivoting said side arm portions of said member to said side wall portions of said housing,

means connecting an upper portion of said side arm portions of said member with said first of said records, and

said spring means engaging a lower portion of said member.

4. The structure set forth in claim l, wherein said means comprises a pair of pivotally connected link members,

one of said link members being connected to the drive shaft of said motor,

said other of said link members engaging said member, and

said motor driving said link members through an orbital path in the direction of the tilting of said records.

5. The structure set forth in claim 4, wherein said member has a cross member within said housing,

said other link member has an elongated slot in the portion thereof engaging said cross member, and

said cross member extending through said slot.

6. The structure set forth in claim l, wherein said spring means comprises a coil spring, and

means securing one end of said coil spring within said housing remote from said member and the other 8 end of said coil spring engaging said member.

7. The structure set forth in claim l, including an upwardly extending support member rearwardly of said housing engaging said records in their rearward tilted position,

means pivotally securing said support member to said housing,

a lower portion of said support member extending inwardly of said housing having a cammed surface portion extending in the direction of the tilting of said records,

said first mentioned means operatively engaging said cammed surface portion of said support member, and

said first mentioned means being arranged and constructed to move the upper portion of said support member forwardly to engage said records prior to completion of their rearward tilt and moving rearwardly with said records supporting the same to their rearward position of rest.

8. The structure set forth in claim 7, wherein said first mentioned means comprises a roller.

9. The structure set forth in claim l, including an upwardly extending support member rearwardly of said housing supporting said records in their rearward tilted position,

means pivotally securing said support member to said housing,

a reversely curved lower portion of said support member extending inwardly of said housing, and said first mentioned means engaging said reversely curved portion of said support member moving the upper portion of said support member forwardly to engage said records tilting rearwardly and moving said upper portion of said support member rearwardly supporting the rearward tilting of said records.

l0. The structure set forth in claim l, including a phonograph record holding member carried by said rack for each of said records, and

means removably securing said records within said record holding members.

1l. The structure set forth in claim l, including a phonograph record holding member carried by said rack for each of said records,

said holding members each having spaced front and rear walls,

a pin projecting from one of said walls in the direction of the other of said walls of each of said holding member, and

each of said records having an aperture therethrough receiving said pin therethrough.

*I* Ik k 

1. A phonograph record tilting display apparatus, having in combination a rack having forwardly self-tilting records thereon, save for the first record thereof, a housing supporting said rack, a member carried by said housing forwardly tilting said first record, spring means actuating said member, a motor carried by said housing, means driven by said motor operatively engaging said member, said means moving said member reversely tilting said records to a rearward tilted position when said records have reached a forwardly tilted position, said means withdrawing from operating engagement with said member upon completion of said rearward tilting of said records, and said spring means actuating said member to forwardly tilt said first record upon said means withdrawing from operative engagement with said member.
 2. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein said member comprises a bail member.
 3. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein said member comprises a U-shaped member having side arm portions overlying side wall portions of said housing, means pivoting said side arm portions of said member to said side wall portions of said housing, means connecting an upper portion of said side arm portions of said member with said first of said records, and said spring means engaging a lower portion of said member.
 4. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein said means comprises a pair of pivotally connected link members, one of said link members being connected to the drive shaft of said motor, said other of said link members engaging said member, and said motor driving said link members through an orbital path in the direction of the tilting of said records.
 5. The structure set forth in claim 4, wherein said member has a cross member within said housing, said other link member has an elongated slot in the portion thereof engaging said cross member, and said cross member extending through said slot.
 6. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein said spring means comprises a coil spring, and means securing one end of said coil spring within said housing remote from said member and the other end of said coil spring engaging said member.
 7. The structure set forth in claim 1, including an upwardly extending support member rearwardly of said housing engaging said records in their rearward tilted position, means pivotally securing said support member to said housing, a lower portion of said support member extending inwardly of said housing having a cammed surface portion extending in the direction of the tilting of said records, said first mentioned means operatively engaging said cammed surface portion of said support member, and said first mentioned means being arranged and constructed to move the upper portion of saId support member forwardly to engage said records prior to completion of their rearward tilt and moving rearwardly with said records supporting the same to their rearward position of rest.
 8. The structure set forth in claim 7, wherein said first mentioned means comprises a roller.
 9. The structure set forth in claim 1, including an upwardly extending support member rearwardly of said housing supporting said records in their rearward tilted position, means pivotally securing said support member to said housing, a reversely curved lower portion of said support member extending inwardly of said housing, and said first mentioned means engaging said reversely curved portion of said support member moving the upper portion of said support member forwardly to engage said records tilting rearwardly and moving said upper portion of said support member rearwardly supporting the rearward tilting of said records.
 10. The structure set forth in claim 1, including a phonograph record holding member carried by said rack for each of said records, and means removably securing said records within said record holding members.
 11. The structure set forth in claim 1, including a phonograph record holding member carried by said rack for each of said records, said holding members each having spaced front and rear walls, a pin projecting from one of said walls in the direction of the other of said walls of each of said holding member, and each of said records having an aperture therethrough receiving said pin therethrough. 